Psychological Services/Child Perpetrator Support Unit

A Child Perpetrator Support unit has been set up in the Ministry in line with the recommendations of the UNCRC which stipulate:

1]state parties have to ensure that every child deprived of his or her liberty shall have the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance [article 37 [d]].

2] every child alleged as, accused of, or recognized as having infringed the penal law to be treated in a manner which takes into account the child’s age and the desirability of promoting the child’s reintegration and the child’s assuming a constructive role in society [article 40/ 1] .

3] the availability of a variety of dispositions, such as care, guidance and supervision orders; counselling[article 40/ 4]

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES:

•To cater for the psychologicalneedsof juvenile offenders and provide adequate psychological support that would pave the way towards their rehabilitation and reintegration in the society.

•To attend to requests from different stakeholders namely the DPP and the Judiciarywith respect to forensic psychological evaluation of juvenile offenders.

•To come up with appropriate psychological treatment programmes designed and targeted to assist child perpetrators to develop skills to reduce reoffending

To provide pretrial support and post trialfollow up for juveniles involved in court proceedings

TARGET GROUP:

•Child perpetrators under 18

•Juveniles involved in all types of offence

•Juveniles under investigation

•Juveniles undergoing trial

•Juvenile who have not been convicted or found guilty [post trial follow up]

Approach

Working in close collaboration with stakeholders and

advising on legislation, policies on matters related to juvenile offenders and their rehabilitation

Two psychologists have been recruited for the operation of the Unit.One has already been posted in the unit since June 2017and is beingassigned casesreferred by relevant stakeholders.[Police,DPP etc]

The Unit is under the supervision of the senior most Psychologist/Senior Psychologist of the Ministry.

[B]PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES UNIT

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

to ensure that members of the public benefit from a high quality psychological service with the aim to improve thepsychological wellbeing of clients referred to the Ministry

To ensure effective psychological service deliveryat the level of the various departmentsof theMinistry through proper monitoring and evaluation of such services.

Torespond to requests fromrelevant stakeholdersin respect of psychological services such as court orderedpsychological evaluation or treatment services in line with the mandate of theministry .

Establishment of a dedicated section within the department that would focus on research in and development ofevidenced based psychological interventions and training of staff and stakeholders who deal with child victimsd/witnesses and juvenile offenders.

continuous professional development ofprofessionals of the Ministry

Approach:

Working in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders by:

1/ Providing effective psychological support to child victims/witnesses and assisting in special measures direction in order to achieve best evidence.

2/ Providing pretrial support and post trial follow up for victims /witnesses [child and adult]involved in court proceedings